AA
by Ivy Kendall
Summary: Andy knows the whole story, and now it's his turn to deal with Jack. (tag for 3x17, Internal Affairs)


Andy stood just around the corner out of sight, yet easily within hearing distance, as Jack offered his apologies, pitiful as they were. He'd heard it all before. Hell... he'd said it a few times himself many years before. Both Sharon and Jack knew he was there, but neither acknowledged him. This was between the two of them, and he was just the witness.

Sharon was the one to turn away. Andy knew she would be. It was finally her turn to be the one to leave the relationship after all those years. She'd gained the strength to do it, and he hoped he'd helped in some small way. She needed the dignity of being the first one out, and he was proud of her. Jack was pushing all of her buttons, and he knew how easy it was to cave to the familiar.

Letting go a breath he didn't know he was holding, and choosing not to analyze it at the moment, he caught her eye and smiled slightly. He wanted desperately to hug her, but he knew this was not the time nor the place. She still had work to do, and she needed every ounce of strength she could muster. Later would be good enough to remind her she wasn't alone.

"All right," Jack finally said, after taking some steadying breaths. "Let's get this over with."

Andy rolled his eyes and escorted the man out. He didn't hold much stock in Jack succeeding at AA this time with that attitude, but at least he was willing to attend a meeting. It wasn't unheard of for people to resist at first, and then open to the support the group offered. However they both knew Jack had been on this merry-go-round a few times. He didn't sound encouraging.

They drove in silence to the church, then sat in the back together. Ever the attention seeker, Jack rose after a while to speak, sharing his tale with a willing crowd. Andy remained silent through Jack's self-flagellation, and might have been more interested if he wasn't so close to the people with a different version of events. Jack Raydor was more than accomplished at making himself sound the victim even when he'd done the damage.

This latest round, with Jack drinking at Sharon's and passing out on her sofa, was not news. Rusty had talked to him at length while Jack slept it off. Although the kid felt he could handle it, he'd still called Andy for assurances that he was doing the right thing. Andy preferred going over there and hauling Jack's sorry ass out of the apartment and arranging for the locks to be changed right then and there, but both knew Sharon wouldn't appreciate the gesture.

The key thing bugged him. He'd advised Sharon to get her locks changed a few times, but every time he suggested it, she'd come back with the excuse that Ricky and Emily had keys to the current lock, and if she wasn't home, she didn't want them locked out. Of course there had been a way around that, but Sharon could be stubborn, and the potential argument wasn't worth having. He wouldn't tell her he'd told her so, but it was going to be hard. Sharon wanted to believe he was nothing like Jack, but the truth was he knew all too well the various methods of manipulation an alcoholic would use, and the house key was a classic.

After Jack finished speaking, he walked to the back of the room where Andy was getting coffee.

"Look, Andy, I appreciate you bringing me here."

"Think nothing of it," Andy replied, surprisingly calm about the whole thing.

Jack tried again. "I know you only did this for Sharon..." he began.

"No, I didn't do this for Sharon. Sharon can deal with her own issues and she's not taking care of you anymore. Nope... Ricky and Em, that's who I'm doing this for."

Jack looked up at the shortening of his daughter's name. The level of familiarity bothered him, but he was in no position to call anyone out on their behaviour, so he let it slide.

"Look..." Jack glanced around, then back to Andy, not quite meeting his gaze. "I need a sponsor, and well... we go way back..."

"No can do," Andy cut him off.

"Why not?"

"Nope... conflict of interest."

Jack snorted, "Conflict? How can you have a conflict. You've been at this for two decades, and you know my family. I can be more honest with you than anyone."

"Honest," Andy let the word hang for a moment before continuing. "Sorry Jack, if you want honesty, here it is: I'm on Sharon's side, and I talk to Ricky and Rusty regularly. I can't be your sponsor for the exact reasons you gave. I can't be neutral."

"I don't see where the problem is. You want me to have a relationship with my kids, don't you?"

Andy finally looked Jack straight in the eye, and didn't hold back the anger in his glance. Lowering his voice, he seethed, "I don't give a rat's ass if you ever see those kids again. They've been hurt enough. You know what I'm doing after this? Do you? I'm going to go check on Sharon, and then I'm going to call Ricky and tell him what's happened tonight. And then, when I find out Emily's schedule, I'm gonna call her so Sharon doesn't have to."

"Sharon won't let you. She won't want the kids to know."

"They aren't ten anymore, Jack, and they've all been waiting for this to happen. We talked about it at Christmas, you moron. Did you think having Emily staying with you, you could hide anything? Kids of alcoholics know the deal. The four of us, me, Ricky, Emily and Rusty, all agreed that you wouldn't ruin Sharon's holiday. That's the only reason it didn't come up before now."

Jack was silent for a moment, then replied "You're sleeping with her, aren't you. That's why you won't help me. You want to take my place."

Pulling on every bit of training he'd ever received in conflict and anger management, Andy stood a little taller. "I'm not dignifying that with an answer."

Smirking for the first time all evening, Jack acted like he had the upper hand. "That tells me everything I need to know."

"You're done, Jack," Andy shook his head. "You can figure it out with your kids, but Sharon's off limits, you understand me?"

"I'll let Sharon tell me that, if you don't mind," he said defiantly.

"She has, you idiot. She walked away from you... twice. Three times, if you count the divorce. You're done. You're history. So stop being a nuisance!"

Andy finished his coffee, all the while glaring at Jack. He got a small sense of satisfaction as he watched the man's short lived bravado deflate, leaving the broken alcoholic behind.

"Rusty said I had the jackpot, and I walked away," Jack said quietly.

"Yup..."

"I don't have a chance of getting it back."

"Nope..."

"You're going to keep this conversation between us, right?"

"Not a chance."

"Why not? AA is supposed to be confidential."

"Not this conversation," Andy replied. He was just about finished with the whole experience, and he knew Sharon would wonder what was happening. "I'm not your sponsor, and this isn't you sharing with the rest of the group. This is just me and you, and I'm ready to leave."

"You're not leaving me here alone," Jack looked horrified.

"It's time for you to stand on your own two feet, Jack. No Sharon, no kids, no girl to make life easy, just you." Giving a mock salute, Andy turned around, placed his coffee mug on the table, and headed for the door.

"And what if I fail?" Jack said a little louder, watching Andy walk away.

"Not my problem."


End file.
